Improvement in ice-elevators



A plane, which extends from the river or other l ,5mm

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REUBEN S. ZILAR, OF CINCINNAT, OHIO. Letters Patent No. 83,7 52, dated November 3, 1868..

MPROVEMENT IN ICE-BLEVATORS.

The ySchedule-x'elen-eci to in these LettersV Patentand making part of the same.

To whom it may concern This invention relates to the class of apparatus in i which an endless chain, provided with suitable hooks or grapnels, is employed for dragging ice up an inclined body of water to the ice-house; and

The first part of my improvements consists in making the upper portion of said inclined plane in sections, which are jointed or hinged together in such a manner as to permit either of these upper sections being secured at any desired angle, in order that the ice may be discharged into the house, at diiierent levels, as rapidly as the latter becomes lled.

The second part of my invention consists in `providing the frame that supports the driving-wheel of the endless chain, with a spring-bar, which serves to set the hooksin a proper position to engage with the cakes of ice, as rapidly as these hooks are brought into contact with said spring-har. j

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a longitudinal section of an ice-elevator embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of that portion of the apparatus which is located at the bank of the river or other body of water.

Figure 3 is an elevation of a portion of the frame which supports the inclined plane; and this view shows the devices whereby said inclined plane is maintained at any desired height above the ground.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through a number of the links of the endless chain..

Figure 5 is a transverse section through one of said `A, A', and B represent a number of vertical stanchions, which compose the frame-work of the elevator, and the former ones, A A', are located in the river, while the other ones, B, are set in the ground, a suitable distance apart, and extend from the bank of the stream or piece of water to the ice-house C. The stanchions B are provided'with slots b, for the reception of the transverse beams D, which support the inclined plane E E E", and sa'id beams are maintained at any desired position by means of pins F, which enter apertures fin the stanchions B.

The inclined' plane E EE" is composed of a long box or trough, whose sections, E, E', and E, are connected to each other or to the frame by hinges e, in

order that one or 'more of the sections, commencing from the upper end, may be set at 4any desired declinar tion for charging an empty or partially empty house.

The lower section, G, of the inclined plane, which is hinged to the other sections at g, carries at its outer end a receiving-platform or water-box, H, upon which the cakes of ice are shoved by the 'attendants of the machine. -This provision of hinged lower section Gg permits the receiving-platform H torise or fall, so as to adjust itself to different stages of water in the stream. l

l Journalled near the tops of the highest stanchions, B, is a toothed wheel, J, whose longitudinal recesses, j, are adapted to receive the shafts K and rollers L, by which the links M of the endless chain N are united.

The wheel J is rotated by a belt, O, which passes over the pulley P from any convenient motor.

The vendless lchain N has attached to it a number of hooks, B, which serve to drag the ice up the inclined plane E E Ef; and in order that these hooks may have a more secure hold upon the cakes of ice, they are provided, near their outer ends, with spurs 1'. These hooks are also furnished with cross-bars lr, .which assist in supporting the chain, and which also prevent the ice slipping back down theinclined plane, incase the cakes should break away from the hooks.

The endless chain N, after passing around the wheel J j; and descending the inclined bearing S, engages with a wheel, T t', which is similar in construction to the wheel J j, and which, in conjunction with said wheel, serves to properly stretch and' carry the chain.

The wheel T t is journalled in either of the notches u u of a bar, U, which is maintained at any elevation within the slots a of the stanchions A A', by means of the pins V.

Pins W and apertures w permit of the bar having any desired longitudinal adjustment.

X is a spring or yielding bar, which both prevents the hooks R striking the top of the iiame when the chain is rimning at a high velocity, and also serves to retain and set said hooks in the proper position for grasping the cakes of ice at the lower end of -the maf chine.

When it is desired to begin operations with my iceelevator, that portion of the inclined plane which is nearest the ice-house is lowered, as4 shown in strong lines in'iig. 1, and the receiving-platform so adjusted as to be slightly submerged, and a high velocity being imparted to the endless chain N, the hooks R take hold of the cakes of ice as fast as the attendants push them upon the receiving-platform H. The hooks R 'dragthe cakes of ice up the inclined plane until they rea-ch the point where it slopes in an opposite direction, when the cakes immediately liberate themselves from the hooks, and slide down the sections E E into the ice-house C. p Y

'lhe ice becoming disengaged from the hooks, the latter hang free until brought in contactwith the springbar X, which sets said hooks in a proper position-to cause them to engage readily with the cakes of ice upon thereceiving-platform H.'

As the chain runs down the inclined bearing S, the hooks R stand inthe position shown in -fig. 1, so that when the chain passes around the lower toothed wheel l t, thehooks instantly fall down upon the platform H, and engage with the cakes of ice. l

The rollers L permit the endless chain N engaging with or being disengaged from either of the toothed wheels, with the least amount of friction, and in case the chain should come in contact with any obstructiom,

This machinel can be run by steam, horse, or 'any other convenient power, and, as it is rapid and selfting, a large amount of ice can be stowed away in a short time.

I claim herein as new, and of my invention- 1. An ice-elevator, consisting of the frame A A a, B b, adjusting-devices D F V W w, toothed wheels J j, T t, endless chain N, hooks R,"notched bar Uu u', and inclined plane E G g H, having one or more flexible upper sections, E E', for the purpose Specified.

, 2. Incombination with the Wheels J T, inclined plane E, endless chain N, and hooks R, the spring-bar X, for the purposes set forth. v

Ir testimony oiwhich invention, I hereunto set my han REUBEN S. ZILAR.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. K'MGHT, Jmuns H. LAYMAN. 

